Deadly Vows is the second installment in the A Britton Bay Mystery series set in Britton Bay, Oregon and featuring newspaper editor Molly Owens and adorable rescue pup, Tigger. Molly is settling into life in Britton Bay, things are going well at the Britton Bay Bulletin and now she is looking forward to the wedding her landlord, Katherine Alderich will be hosting at her Bed & Breakfast. From the comfort of her guest cottage in the backyard, Molly has the perfect view of the preparations and the first thing she notices is how difficult the mother of the bride is going to be.

Patricia Lovenly grew up in home turned B & B, and she's determined to host her daughter Chantel's wedding there to show off to the townspeople how wealthy she's become. She's planning a week long event with over the top decorations and a celebrity chef. Skyler Friessen won a TV reality competition and even though she's temperamental and abrupt, Patty is adamant that the woman prepares their food for the week, and this means that local baker Bella who supplies the B & B with pastries and breads is out a week of wages.

Residents and guests alike are shocked when Corky Templeton, homeless and mentally challenged stumbles across the body of Skyler lying in the open doorway of her hotel room. Had someone finally had enough of the nasty Chef or did she accidentally die from an allergic reaction? Despite the warnings from her boyfriend Sam and Officer Chris Beatty, Molly soon finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation.

A well crafted plot that will keep the pages turning. This series is a little too heavy on the romance for me, while I don't mind a relationship for the main character, the constant mentions of hand holding, gazing into the other person's eyes, and the sappy dialogue does take away from the mystery. I'm hoping that the author will move on from this now that a stable relationship has been formed.

I received an advanced copy of Deadly Vows from NetGalley via Lyrical Undergound a division of Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

Deadly Vows by Jody Holford is even better than the first book. I really feel like I know the characters, especially Molly, Sam, Katherine, and even Molly's dog, Tigger. The author has done a great job making those main characters likeable and relatable. The mystery was intriguing. I was a little surprised at who the killer was, so that was a big plus. I love it when I'm wrong about who the killer is because it makes me go back and see everything that happened in the book in a new light. There was a sneak peek of the next book in the series at the end of this one and I'm really looking forward to reading it. I can't wait for it to come out!

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Molly Owens is editor in chief of the Britton Bay Bulletin, their newspaper, and she also lives in a cottage behind the B&B her boyfriend Sam's mother Katherine owns. She's watching the tents being erected for a huge wedding at the B&B, and it's quite a spectacle. On her way to work one morning she talks with the owner of the local bakery, Bella, and discovers that the wedding party has brought in their own caterer, which means that Bella, who provides the B&B with baked goods, won't be supplying them during their stay. She also discovers that the owner of the paper, Alan Benedict, knows the bride's mother and is going to run a feature. But when Patricia Lovenly (MOB) arrives at the paper she's not alone. She's brought with her the caterer, Skyler Friessen, who doesn't seem to want to be there, and comes off as thinking she's better than anyone in the town.

Later on, when Molly returns home she hopes to have an interview with Skyler, but needs to figure out a way to approach her. Reluctantly, Skyler agrees on one the next morning, but when Molly arrives at the hotel where she's staying, she finds out that Skyler is dead, and it's not long before her inquisitive nature leads her to the fact that she was poisoned.

While she insists she's not investigating the crime, she can't help but wonder who hated the woman enough to want to kill her. Why would anyone want to murder a woman who, though unpleasant at best, didn't seem to be horrible enough to kill. But someone did, and Molly, who's in a perfect place to watch the wedding guests - since they aren't allowed to leave until the murderer is caught - starts putting the clues together. But will it be in time to save herself from being the next person to get iced?

This is the second book in the series, following Deadly News, and I am happy to say that I found it to be just as good as the first one. This time out, Molly is secure in the fact that she's doing well as Editor in Chief at her job, and navigating her new relationship with Sam. She's still having trouble after her disastrous breakup with her ex, but Sam is winding himself into her life so easily that she's learning how to trust again.

But then there's the murder. And the killer is more than likely someone the bride brought with her when they arrived in Britton Bay. The only clues she has are the ramblings of a local who isn't all there mentally, and the fact that the last thing she drank came from Bella's bakery - but she does know that Bella's not a murderer. Which leaves her back to square one, trying to figure out who is, even though she's telling herself she's not investigating.

Molly is a great character; she's independent, strong, yet still scarred inside and is flawed, just like the rest of the world. She cares about the people around her, and it shows. Sam is a truly decent guy with a great sense of humor; although he's in for a surprise himself with something regarding his mother. The rest of the characters feed the story well, and even though we don't see as much of the people who work at the newspaper, their presence is still known.

The mystery was done very well. The clues are there, but they're thrown in by bits and pieces, and you just have to look for them. There are a couple of red herring that lead you to believe other people just might be guilty, but that's exactly as it is supposed to be.

In the end, when Molly discovers the identity of the killer, it all comes together nicely, giving us a tale that was entertaining and interesting; which also made Molly do some thinking of her own in the process on where her life is going. A very enjoyable book and I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended.

This second book in the series is even better than the first.
Interesting characters and a well written whodunit are a winning combination. The story was filled with twists and possibilities that kept me guessing and engaged until the end.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Deadly Vows is a very well written cozy mystery. I enjoyed the plot and the setting. Mystery fans will love this book.

Molly Owens is settling into her new life in Britton Bay as the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper. She has her new job, her canine companion, and a few close friends. One of those close friends is her boyfriend's mother who is the owner of the bed and breakfast where a wedding is being prepared for. When the chef is found dead and the bride-to-be goes missing Molly can't help but get involved.

This is the 2nd in the series but my first. I had no problems reading this book as a stand-alone. The setting and characters are interesting. The chemistry between Molly and Sam is adorable. The mystery is well-paced and full of twists and turns. If you like romantic cozy mysteries this is one for you.

I voluntarily agreed to read a copy of this book supplied by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way have been influenced.

Adored this book. Great mystery, fun main character with flaws and all, and a fun cast of characters in a charming town. This book was hard to put down and always a joy to pick back up again.

Second book in the series and I enjoyed this book as much as the first. Molly and her boyfriend are moving forward in their relationship. Molly continues to settle into life in Britton Bay and as the editor of the newspaper. This time Molly doesn't discover the body, but comes onto the scene shortly after it was discovered. Molly tries to stay out of harms way, but doesn't of course!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. - I look forward to more in this series.

I'm falling in love with A Britton Bay Mystery series. Deadly Vows is simply amazing. This may only be book two but I'm so falling for Molly and Sam. Those two will take your heart even more in this one. Get ready for a little bit of a drama filled wedding with this one. I know I didn't see the who don't it coming. Jody Holford does this fantastic job of weaving you in and out of Deadly Vows as try and solve the mystery behind it all. Molly is again front and center trying to uncover the story behind the wedding that has taken over the bed and breakfast. Not only do we get to see the love between Molly and Sam grow, but we also get to see Molly's friendships grow within the town of Britton Bay. I love this series so much and this is only the second book. I really can't wait for more. I'm hooked and you should be too. Go one click this one.

This series is becoming a favorite of mine. The beautiful coast, a blossoming romance and characters that seem to jump off the page made this a joy to read. Add to that a page turning mystery that doesn't miss a beat and you have a great book.
I can't wait for the next installment.

Last year I read Deadly News, the first book in the Britton Bay Mystery series, and it was my first ever cozy-mystery read. Needless to say, I enjoyed it enough to request the follow-up book from Netgalley to read when I saw it up for review.Jody Holford has a wonderful way of jumping straight into the story, and writing Molly's story as she continues to build her new life in Britton Bay. I really loved the addition of the romance subplot in this story, as Molly tries to overcome her past romantic hurts as she tries to accept that her new love interest is one hundred percent committed to her. (I do love a very sweet romance and this definitely fits the bill.)Molly is the editor-in-chief at the local newspaper, with a penchant for nosing out trouble and finding herself involved in solving murders - despite the chagrin of the local police force. This time around, there's a wedding happening in town, and the chef brought in to cater the event - a notoriously prickly woman - is found dead and it throws all the wedding plans into disarray.I love how independent Molly is as a woman - she doesn't want anyone stepping in to try and protect her, even though she keeps finding herself in precariously dangerous situations. And yet, she's very caring, and observant of the people around her. She wants to find the answers because she doesn't like unanswered questions. I can appreciate those qualities in a protagonist.I'm continuing to enjoy this series, and look forward to reading the next instalment of Molly's adventures.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This second installment in the Britton Bay Mystery series solidifies Jody Holford as a favorite new cozy mystery writer! I loved returning to the cozy seaside town of Britton Bay, Oregon, where Molly is finding herself more and more at home and connected to her new community, and especially her new boyfriend, Sam. Despite another murder happening in this otherwise quiet town, which Molly (despite herself!) can't help but try and solve, it's definitely a place she can see setting down permanent roots.

The local Bed & Breakfast is hosting the wedding of the century, complete with a fancy celebrity chef, whose grumpy attitude isn't making her any friends. When the chef winds up dead before the wedding, and right before Molly was supposed to interview her for the Britton Bay Bulletin, Molly can't help but feel a personal involvement in the case...

I can't wait to see what mystery Molly feels compelled to solve next!

In Deadly Vows, Molly has a front row seat to Britton Bays' biggest wedding of the year as it's taking place in her front yard. A relative newcomer to Britton Bay, Molly is starting to become more familiar with the community and grow her friendships and her romantic relationship with her sidekick Tigger. Unwittingly she stumbles upon another murder and her curious nature leads her on a path of unveiling clues and suspects. An enjoyable mystery set in a community the reader can imagine herself living in.

3.75 stars

This second in the Britton Bay mysteries is worth the read. Molly Owens escaped a hectic California life and unfaithful boyfriend to end up in Britton Bay, Oregon, a small coastal town. Molly, a service brat and only child, is settling in to Britton Bay and her job as editor in chief of the local paper. She finds herself appreciating the sense of community and caring that long time residents take for granted.

The small town is braced for melodrama when a former resident returns to town to put on a splashy, elaborate and expensive wedding for her daughter -- who is dead set against the idea. Molly lives next door to the wedding venue and has a ringside seat for the fireworks: between mother and daughter, between bride and groom, and between the celebrity chef they imported and everyone.

When the chef's body is discovered, Molly tells herself she is simply gathering news but she can't quite help investigating. The characters are nicely drawn, and it's good to see Molly begin to overcome her defensiveness and invest in her relationship with local business owner Sam.

The romance probably plays as big a part of this story as the mystery, but it's not off-putting and certainly a relief from the ever-present love triangles that this sort of pleasant cozy often offers up. Thanks to Net Galley and to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Deadly Vows by Jody Holford brings us back to Britton Bay, OR where Molly is now settling into her new job, new home and new romantic relationship.

This cozy is all about romance, relationships and the murder of a chef who is catering the wedding at the Bed & Breakfast owned by Molly's boyfriend's mother. Ms. Holford really delved more into Molly's character in this book and revealed several insights into Molly's thoughts and attitudes about herself and how she looks at the world. Readers also got to know more about Sam, Molly's boyfriend, too. The plot was quickly paced with only a few suspects and enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the dramatic reveal. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to other cozy mystery readers.

While I had high hopes for this book, the story fell flat and I had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters.

This new book finds us with Molly really getting settled into her new life. Before she can get too comfortable, another bout of chaos is dropped into her lap!
This story had a great plot, wonderful writing. There wasn't a lot of jumping around which can make the reader feel lost. The characters are well developed and the story was well executed.

Deadly Vows is the second book in Jody Holford’s A Britton Bay Mystery series. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but there is sufficient background information that I didn’t feel lost. The mystery is well written, with lots of twists and turns, and the characters are likable in this steadily paced cozy mystery.

Molly Owens moved to Britton Bay, Oregon a few of months ago, and lives in a cottage located on the grounds of a Bed & Breakfast owned by Katherine Alderich with a black-and-white border collie named Tigger. She’s the editor-in-chief and writes a few news articles for the Britton Bay Bulletin, and is dating Katherine’s son, Sam, who owns an auto garage. The Bed & Breakfast is preparing for the nuptials of Patricia Lovenly’s daughter, Chantel, and Blake Findle. Patricia, a former resident of Britton Bay, has arranged for a celebrity chef, Skyler Friessen, and her sous chefs to prepare all food for the week before the wedding, the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding day food. When Skyler is found murdered in her hotel room, and the bride goes missing, Sheriff Brandon Saron tells Molly to keep her tendency to snoop out of the murder investigation and not to worry about the bride because she’d only been gone for a few hours. The sheriff steps away from the investigation and assigns Officer Chris Beatty, one of Sam’s friends, to take the lead because of his growing feelings for Katherine. Blake begs Molly to find his bride-to-be since the authorities aren’t taking her disappearance seriously and she felt compelled to help him. Unable to step away from the murder investigation and missing bride, Molly finds herself in harm’s way.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

With Deadly Vow, the second book in the Britton Bay series, Jody Holford maintains the strong, small town cozy/romantic vibe she established in Deadly News, the first book of the series. The romance is a pleasant addition to the mystery plot without distract from the murder investigation. It is the warmth, strength, and intelligence of the characters that takes this series from a delightful and intriguing cozy mystery to one of my favorite new series.
My thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Deadly Vows. It is one of the books that I have discovered recently that my readers and follows are going to be hearing a lot about! I loved it!
#NetGalley #DeadlyVows

A cozy mystery set in the Oregon coastline. BrittenBay's newspaper editor is settling into the town and her job.. Molly lives in a small cottage on the grounds of a large home that has been converted into a bed and breakfast. She is always on the hunt for news although she doesn't so as much reporting as assigning stories. However the fact that a star caterer has come to town to cater a wedding has everyone agog.. Molly decides she would like to interview her herself. But that never happens as Molly finds the chef/caterer dead. Molly is told to stay out of the investigation but she simply can't resist. The scenery is nice, the descriptions of the landscape are marvelous, but the plot is a bit thin. Still a fun book to pass the time with,.